The Book of Mouse
by Zira Alzen
Summary: I, Zira, am a noble mouse whose journey across the sea has brought me here, to Prydain. As I go into the forest, I run for days, living like a real mouse. Which gives me time to think about things that I want to think about,  And things that I don't want to think about… Based on Lloyd Alexander's "The Book of Three"
1. Chapter 1

§= a quote from Lloyd Alexander's "The Book of Three"

 **Zira and The Book of Mouse**

 **And the Voyage in** **Taran's** **Pocket**

 _I, Zira am a noble mouse whose journey across the sea has brought me here, to_ _Prydain_ _. As I go into the forest, I run for days, living like a real mouse. This gives me time to think about things that I want to think about,_

 _And things that I don't want to think about..._

 **Epilogue**

It has been a long time, since my voyages with Crispin, Son of Lord Furnival. Yet it still haunts me. I tend to think about Crispin, Troth, and the Thief family, and I wonder about what their lives are like. Yet also, I think about the mice and people that have passed on, like Bear and David, God bless their souls, but mostly I think about David, and his noble sacrifice to save my life. He still is with me, and I miss him dearly. Yet, a mouse dies only once, and there is no one left to protect me. It is only me and the dark woods of Prydain.

 **Chapter I-** **Llyan** **of Mona**

I awoke with a jolt, as a low growl occurs outside of my tree-hole house. I hear scratching and snarling as I scurry to the opening, and as I look down, I notice that the source of the sound is no other than a wildcat! I scream and scurry to the back of the tree-hole, hoping it doesn't kill me. Unfortunately, the cat caught my scent and was alerted to my presence. The cat clambered up the tree to the entrance of the hole where I could clearly look into its murderous yellow eyes, how they were locked into a ready-to-kill focus. It let out a deafening snarl that could scare the hair off a rat (they don't scare easily), yet I stood firm, gripping the tree wall with all my strength. Then, it lost the focus in its eyes and the focus turned into curiosity. I, stunned could barely squeak out, "a-a-are y-ou-u g-g-goin-g-g t-to k-kil-l m-me-e?"

The cat shook its head and said, "No! Normally I kill the mice and creatures that are afraid and jump out of their holes, but it seems like you are not afraid." I had never spoken to a wildcat, so I didn't know what to say. I then thought back to my lessons at the Mouse Academy, where we were taught edacity. Confident, I then said, "Who might you be?" the Cat chuckled and said,

"I am Llyan of Mona, yet you can call me Ly," Ly then added, "And who might _you_ be?" I was hesitant, yet I replied, "I am Zira of Stromford, England"

"England," Ly remarked, "Is far, far away from Prydain, and it's certainly a long, long journey for a little mouse like you, Zira. Come now, I believe you want to go somewhere?"

I slowly walked over to the front of the hole- for I still was not sure about the intentions of Ly, would she kill me the minute I come to her? Or would she fulfill her word and take me to where I wanted to go? I had only one choice, I had to come to her.

I decided to climb on Llyan's back, for it would be harder for her to slay a poor mouse like me on her own back. She then asked, "Where to, my new friend Zira?" Wow, she called me a "New friend"! Maybe I won't be slaughtered and turned into a stew after all. I thought for a little while, and I made up my mind- I would go to the nearest populated village and find a new pocket. So, I asked Ly where I could find a village:

"To the nearest village, I guess" I began

"Why? I don't think that Caer Dallben is a suitable place for a mouse." Llyan replied

"I am looking for a pocket to live in." I said, regretting saying such.

"Pockets are everywhere, Zira." Ly stated

"But the person who owns it matters." I countered

"What type of person do you like to live with?" Ly said with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes

"A boy, maybe 13,14 years of age, not too tall (I needed to be able to escape without hurting myself) and who has an interesting life." I stated

"That is very specific, but I think I have a good match for you. His name is Taran; he's an assistant pig-keeper in Caer Dallben- he's the only boy fitting your preferences for leagues." Ly said.

So, it was decided. I was to go to Caer Dallben and find this "Taran" to hopefully live with and not get killed the first day. Ly's back was very broad, and I was very tired (for I had just woken up), so I fell asleep dreaming about this boy that me and my unusual friend were going to find.

After a day or so, we came upon the very small village of Caer Dallben. It was not much of a village, more of a large homestead; there was only a large house, a shack, a blacksmith, a small pig-house, and a pig-yard with one pale pig. When we arrived, there was a clatter coming from the blacksmith. We came near the window and we saw a boy, whose hair was brown as the packed-earth floor, and a bald man whose head reflected sunlight. All of the sudden, a man who was very old came into the room and spoke so soft that I and Ly could not hear what he said. Ly then whispered to me. "that's the boy, Taran." This Taran was perfect, but he was missing something- a pocket.

I then noticed a small waist-satchel that looked fairly empty, and I believe I saw a hole in the side. I knew that this new traveling home would be a mansion compared to the small pocket of Crispin's. I do indeed wonder what happened to Crispin- did he ever get to the land of ice? Or did he go somewhere else where there was no government. My thinking was interrupted by Ly pouncing into the tall grass that surrounded the village, nearly throwing me off her back. I then knew why she did- the three people walked out of the blacksmith and went towards the large homestead, speaking of very boring stuff. Ly then began to skulk through the grasses where my visual of them was disrupted. I noticed that her head was a little higher than her back, so I climbed up onto her head and began to watch the trio of Prydanish walking towards the large, one story house that I now could tell that the siding was poorly placed and was starting to fall off. When they went inside, Ly and I went to a window to see what was going on. "I don't want to be seen, Zira, so I'm going to go back in the grass," Ly said. "But you can go up the window and watch what they are doing." So, I decided to go to the window and look in to watch Taran.

When I got to the windowsill, the bald man had already left, but Taran was still there. He was sitting near the window where I was. I could clearly get a view of him, even though his back was facing me. He had dark, earth-colored hair that was messily cut, and his garment was stained with dirt and other things that I could not identify. When he took a glance to the left, I could see one of his rust-colored eyes. I definitely knew that he was the one I would have my new adventures with. After he glanced, he stood up very slowly, as if he didn't want to get caught by anyone. He skulked across the room, closing in on a large, old tome. He reached out to grab it, but then his jumped back like something just bit him. The very old man, who was asleep at the time, then said without opening his eyes, "You had better see Coll about a lotion for those hands. Otherwise, I shouldn't be surprised if they blistered." § I indeed wondered who this "Coll" was. As Taran went out of the house, I scurried back to Ly to tell her what happened.

"Well you should find this 'Coll' you speak of, since you ask me." Ly said after telling her what happened. So, I did. I followed Taran, who was already almost to a vegetable garden where the bald man was tending to the crop. Taran went in and began to talk to the bald man, so I assumed that he was "Coll". They then went over to a stable, which I followed them to. Coll then put a weird paste on Taran's hands. Coll then began to scold Taran, who was complaining about his life and wanting an adventure. Coll was saying that Taran wasn't ready and should stay to his job- being an Assistant Pig-keeper. They began to argue, but they were interrupted by a loud buzzing.

"The bees!" Taran exclaimed "they're swarming!"

"It is not their time," cried Coll "There is something amiss" §

The black cloud of bees flew up skyward, while the chickens tried to fly away. Both of them raced to the chicken run, trying to catch them, but it was too late- the chickens were already gone. The commotion was intense. I knew I should run back to Ly, so I did. I climbed upon her back and we were off- we went around the village and dashed into the woods, but we did not go too far, for I still wanted to climb in Taran's satchel.


	2. Chapter 2

§= a quote from Lloyd Alexander's "The Book of Three"

 **Zira and The Book of Mouse**

 **And the Voyage in** **Taran's** **Pocket**

 **Chapter II-** **Taran**

As we waited, we began to hear the sound of hoof beats. I frantically looked around for the source, yet it was too late for me to notice the giant pale pig that was charging out of the bushes! It rammed into Ly and sent me flying, landing on the pig's back. It did not say anything but "The King is coming; The King is coming!" over and over again. The poor pig was panting so hard that white foam was coming out of its mouth. The pig all of the sudden darted left and threw me off of the pig; I tumbled onto a bunch of rocks.

As I tried to get up, I saw a multitude of horses, being led by a horrific man on a dark brown horse. From his antler-skull mask down to his crimson-red arms, I was about to faint. But I did not, for I saw a rat perched on the horned man's shoulder, but it wasn't just any rat, it was the Black Rat, the one who killed my beloved David during the raid on the French village. I shrunk back, hoping that I wouldn't have been spotted by that monster.

After the horrid parade left, I noticed that there was a path made out of broken brambles and plants. I decided to follow the path, but when I got to the end, I found Taran! He lay unconscious by a tree, with one shoulder gashed by a sword, and his hair had leaves and sticks tangled in it. I took this as a great opportunity to jump in his satchel, so I did. It was quite roomy, and the hole I thought I saw did exist- so, I could either jump out our peek my head through. I then curled up and fell asleep in my new home.

I awoke to a hand reaching in my house and pulling me out, the face that was revealed was not Taran, but a man with shaggy, wolf colored hair with deep green eyes that reminded me of a forest at twilight. His attire was travel-stained and rough, and he wore an old leather belt that was about to snap. He then stated, "it seems you have a friend, Taran." I looked around and saw my human, still by the same tree, but he jumped up and gasped, "How long has that filthy creature been in my satchel?!" I cringed as if I was slashed by a sword. I squeaked and curled up into a ball, the Wolf-Man seemed to understand that I was hurt, for he said, "She doesn't seem that bad, Taran, you know that even mice have feelings." "Oh, alright, but she will NOT stay in my satchel!" Taran snapped back. I was happy that I wasn't going to be a snack for the humans, but I was sad that I was not able to live in my mansion. I crawled up onto the shoulder of the Wolf-Man, which he didn't mind me doing. We then started on our journey, which I had no clue whatsoever where we were going.

It was troubling to keep balanced on the Wolf-Man's shoulder, but it was the only way I could stay with them. They began to speak of many things, things that were very boring. I couldn't help myself, but I fell asleep, and then fell off the Wolf-Man's shoulders. I fell onto a rock and then I jumped up, unable to move due to a sharp pain in my leg. Taran signaled the Wolf-Man to stop, "Gwydion, I think she's hurt." Gwydion! That was his name. Gwydion then stopped and took me from Taran, and he set me in his waist bag. It was smaller than Taran's satchel, but it would do. I poked my head out of the top and looked around, wincing occasionally because of my leg. It wasn't long before I heard a low growl coming from behind a large tree. I thought that it was Bear, but I knew that I was in a land a far, far away from home. I then whirled around when I heard a tree branch break, but I could not find the source of the sound. Even worse, I then picked up a strong, musty smell in my whiskers that was unbearable. All of the sudden, I saw a grayish-brown lump flying from the tree and jumping on Taran! The Lump was much bigger than the monkey that I saw with the Thief Family; it was more of a large, hairy man that had the stench of a privy. The man was strangling and biting, until Gwydion said, "So it is you,"

"I ordered you not to hinder me or anyone under my protection" Gwydion scolded. §

I hate him for coming after my human. Poor Taran, he almost looked like the creature himself. To make it even worse, the creature let out a pitiful whine that hurt my ears.

"It is only Gurgi," Gwydion stated, ugh, only Gurgi. That monster nearly killed my human!

"He is always lurking about one place to another. He is not as ferocious as he looks, nor a quarter as fierce as he should like to be and is more of a nuisance than anything else. Somehow, he manages to see most of what happens, and he might be able to help us." Gwydion explained. I could not understand how this monster could help us find Hen Wen. I shifted in the bag accidentally and my leg then smarted painfully. §

Gurgi was extremely annoying whenever he spoke, and unfortunately, he saw me in the bag around Gwydion's belt. "Crunchings and Munchings now, mighty prince?" Gurgi said. He looked like a dog waiting for a bone.

"As I promised" Gwydion replied

"Gurgi wants the smallest one for munchings" Gurgi replied, looking straight at me with his mouth clearly watering.

"No, you do not," Gwydion replied. "She is a simple field mouse and would not fill your belly even a smidge." §

Gwydion then pulled out a couple of strips of meat and fed them to Gurgi, who scarfed them down almost immediately. After that, he clambered up a tree and disappeared from sight, hopefully never to be seen again. Taran began to mutter awful things about Gurgi, but I did not feel symphony for Gurgi, for he deserved every word that Taran said. Gwydion however told Taran that he shouldn't do that and that angered me. I huffed and then I fell asleep in the bag.

I woke up wet. I heard Taran yelling at Gwydion that he couldn't swim, and I heard a horse snort nearby. My leg smarted with pain, and I smelled like a wet dog. I noticed as I climbed out of the pouch that a river was behind us, and that all of us were soaking wet. I tried to climb out of the bag, but it was drawn tight, and I could only stick my head out.

Gwydion looked down at me, and then remarked, "I believe I almost made our friend here drown. I am extremely sorry little mouse." ugh. This stupid human, he can't even keep track of a wee mouse. But then of course, I am larger than a normal mouse, so I think he was mistaken. Gwydion pulled me out, took a small scrap of dry cloth from his shirt and wrapped it around me. Taran then walked over where I could clearly see him, and he retrieved my satchel from the saddle bag on the white horse that stood beside us. Thankfully, the saddle bag was spared from the moisture and my satchel was saved. He picked me up and let me into his satchel where I soon fell asleep, dry and in the home that I had always wanted to go into.

I awoke to the sound of music, but it was in a warning tone, as if someone was trying to say that danger was coming. My observation was proved when Gwydion said- "Where Gwyn the hunter rides, danger follows close behind." What danger? Have we not been in danger?


End file.
